R.E.M. has inked a multi-year, worldwide licensing agreement with Concord Bicycle Music for the band’s catalog that was recorded between 1988 and 2011, which includes the albums Green, Out of Time, Automatic For the People, Monster, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, and Up. Concord Bicycle plans to release deluxe reissues of the albums with bonus material and exclusive packaging on its Concord imprint. “The band and all at REMHQ [CQ] are very happy to be joining with Concord Bicycle Music for this next phase of curating and extending R.E.M.’s recorded legacy,” said R.E.M. manager Bertis Downs in a statement. “The albums covered by this agreement are some of the band’s most successful, both artistically and commercially, and we know the people at Concord share our enthusiasm about this partnership. We leave the Warner Bros. family, a great label where we are certainly grateful for some of our career highlights. But moving forward, we knew this was the right time to change it up and Concord is the right home for this key part of R.E.M.’s catalog.”
Via FMQB
